The First American Newspaper

The stol y of the fust American news paper, brief as was its lito, is tull ot cariius interest. Soveiity yeara after the ianding ot' the Pilgrims on 1'iymouth Koek, and two hundred and fifty yeais after the invention of printing, n newspaper was isaued in Boston, lt hved one iay, and only one copy is known to have been preserved. Tuut copy was discov eiüd by thn historian of S-ilem, the Kev. J B Feit, in the Colonial State Paper Office, iu London, rhild ungaged in reseaich-.s relutmK to the history of bis own city. This pioneer of American jouruahsni was publiihed by Bonjamin Hui ris, at the London Coffe Hou.-se, Bos ton, and was priuted lor biat by ltiuhard Piece, on Thursüay, the Oth of Septem bar, lü'JO, nearly two cent'ifiea afler the dijicovirery ot the New World by Coluiubus. The paper was printed on three page of a folded sheet, lea vine; one page blank, with two coluiuns to a pago, a id i;h pa;p abont eleven intbes by Nvm in sizo. Haüis pioposed to issue bis paper once a montb, or of tener if.there should be a " glut of occurrences." His fiist and, as it tumed out, bis only number, oontained several columns of home ind foreign go-sip. without a word of editorial comment. Unfoitunately for Uk: success of bis undertuking, he printed one or two item of local and military Dews which set the official busy-bodies in a ferment of indignatï n. The legislative autborities solemnly deterinined that the paper carne out contraiy to law, and that it container! " rcfluctions oí a very liigh nature." To prevent Mr. Harns from issuing a second minibar, they forbada " anything in print without lioenso first obtaintid iïom those authorized by tho government to grant tbo same." In tl) is A-ay the first American newspaper carae to gviet'; and but for the accidentai preservation of a single copy in London its vory game would have pwed into obUvioc - Hiirper Mcnuzine. Ijxtpnsive sponfto bed havo been dit covertd in Gaiiforui,